Advantages

Segmental bridge construction offers the advantages of repetitive construction procedures, minimum impact to traffic and the environment during construction, economical construction, and a durable structure. Segmental construction can be used in a variety of difficult site conditions: piers can be placed on small footprints; superstructures can go over natural hazards and community landmarks; and segmental bridges may be used on a small radius such as curved highway access ramps as well as large-radius bridges.

The bridges can be aesthetically pleasing because of their slender piers, their long, shallow superstructures, and the concrete can be colored to blend into the environment. For box girder bridges, the cross section may consist of a single cell or several cells depending on the required width of the deck. The outer webs or fascias are generally inclined for aesthetic and structural reasons, though the fascias may be vertical, and internal webs are usually vertical. For shorter spans, the section depth remains constant along the span, while longer spans use a curved soffit to produce a deeper section at the piers compared to midspan.